Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-25
A FASCINATING LOBBYIST.
I Beautiful Woman who Has Cap
tivatcd ScYera; Senators.

D
Detroit Evening News writes: THE GEN.
sauon AT the Senate Chamber during the
session juso closed mas been the Constant
! presepc &c Of n young and beautiful woman
who has captured the hearts OF several
Senators to such an extent that public
scandal has only been averted by the
most anxious importunitiee OF the states
men. One lady, the wife OF Senator
| from a far Western State, WAS very
| indignant because her husband sue
| cumbed to the Establishments of
this fascinating creature, and a
| suit for divorce might have fol-
| lowed but for the adjournment of
the Senate, which separated the senator
| and the woman who had alleuated his
| affections. The " estern Senator Is not
the only one who was in danger. There
were several others, notably one who has
a large family OF young children, and
| who is man high III the management OF
the Democratic party. Every Senato in
| the body for several weeks observed the
| quiet tlirtatiens going ON between their
| colleagues and the woman in black.
| Some ofthGm m AIDE light OF the matter
and numerically twitted their brother
! Senators. Others felt that the dignity OF
! the Senate had been triiled with, and
were seriously thinking OF taking steps
the chamber day after day.
The woman in the case made her first
| appearance here last summer just before
| adjournment. She was then engaged IN
| selling a book written by prominent
| public man. she WAS very successful IN
| this, both because of the popularity OF
the work aud the unique way in which
| sue solicited subscriptions. She brought
! with her TO Washington formal note or
! introduction to almost every gentleman
| in the capitol building. She would call
| upon them, leave a fashionable card,
present her note OF Introduction, and
| when connected in pleasant chat she
| would offer 10 sell the book. Many who
would not have wasted moment upon
an ordinary book agent spent nan an
| hour in conversation, and then felt COM
! PEELED 10 subscribe in order to escape
! being rude. From the day OF her arrival
| at the capital she attracted wide atten-
! ton by her beauty and evident re1De-
ment. Her bearing WAS the height OF
mOdesty, yet there was dreamy, wistful
| look in her languid blue eyes that was
| fatal.
AT the opening of the session just ad-
| jeUrned the beautiful book agent was
| again on hand, but instead OF soliciting
! orders from mem bers OF the House, COM
mittee clerks and other officials, it was
| noticed that she spent all her time at the
! Senate. The system OF freemasenrv estab-
| lished bv which she obtained interviews
| with Senators is interesting. All the
| doorkeepers knew her, and whenever she
arrived they would jump from their
! chairs with great agility, each anxious to
serve her first. There is rule that no
| cards shall be presented to Senators until
| after 2 O'clock in the afternoon, but this
mysterious female was hampered by no
sucn restriction. She arrived at the
| capitol every day, just after noon. Smil-
| lingly she would glide up to The door
keeper, speak to him in low tone, and
two minutes later would be found chat
ting with the desired Senator on the sofa
in the marble room. Everybody whose
business has required frequent visits to
the Senate has observed the woman in
mourning and her tete-a-tetes with the
Senators, and numerous inquiries as to
| who and what she was have been made.
The replies are all unsatisfactory.
There are at least six Senators who
| could tell all about her il they would.
| They have been kneeling at her feet all
winter, and have borne all sorts of I'M
! pleasant circumstances from their col
| leagues for her sake. There Is one Sena-
tor, the one whose wife threatens to sue
| for divorce, whose committee room is
near the eRtrRnc e to the private lobby. On
| certain days when tue eK-eook agent ar
rived she would 60 straight to the door of
the committee room, and after a hasty
| nod at the doorkeeper of the lobby, walk
! straight into the little room. At other
| times, receiving another sort OF nod, she
would walk away without seeking ad
| mIttance. 10 has frequently been noticed
| that on certain afternoons when the
| Senator failed to respond to roll call, the
| young woman in mourning also failed to
make her usual visit to the Senate.
When twitted by their colleagues about
| the visits of the beautiful young woman
| the smitten Senators always reply: "Oh,
she is endeavoring to secure the passage
| of bill in which her husband is inter-
ested. It's good bill, too, and ought
| to pass"
The bill that this pretty lobbyist was
| endeavoring to pass was introduced
in January. and probably report
ed a week later. 1t provided for the
payment Of large number of officials for
! extra work performed in the years from
1871 to 1885. 1t thus involves a large sum
of money, and could this charmer have
| secured Its passage she would be well re-
paid for all the trouble and smiles she
has wasted upon the Senators She
| seems to be in q more prosperous condt-
| ton than when she was book agent last
session, and, while she was then quite
poorly dressed, she Is stylish and fash
|
same black bonnet and long, deep veil OF
Grape.
AT q large dinner party few evenings
ago this beautiful lobbyist was the gen
eral topic of conversation after the cigars
were lighted. One Senator related in
graphic language the little scenes that
took place IN the lobby and the marble
room each day, and the Senator, who is
chairman of the accessible committee
broom referred TO above, was made the
/ subject OF SO many witty thrusts that he
was obliged to seek refuge in flight.
The young woman was on hand until a
late hour on the last night Of the session,
and Disappointment was depicted on
every feature. In the great rush her bill
failed TO pass. A few days before adj
! tournament it was called up, and some
Senator who was not a favored one in
sisted on having certain inform alton
| from the department before allowing
action to be taken. The report did not
come in time, the bill failed, and the
beautiful lobbyist retired from the scene
/ probably TO return again in December.